Judea & Samaria sovereignty bill heads to ministerial committee

T. Belman.  Surely they jest.

Bill drafted by Religious Zionist Party to face key vote in ministerial committee. ‘No doubt Liberman, Yamina, New Hope will back the bill.’

By Hezki Baruch, INN   15/6/22

>

Religious Zionist Party MKs?

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation will vote Sunday on a bill which would apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

The bill was submitted by Religious Zionist Party chief MK Bezalel Smotrich and MK Orit Strook (Religious Zionist Party) in response to the ongoing deadlock in the Knesset over the Judea and Samaria Law.

While the government searches for support for the Judea and Samaria Law, the Religious Zionist Party has proposed the sovereignty bill as an alternative, eliminating the need for the Judea and Samaria Law.

The Judea and Samaria Law, a temporary measure extended by the Knesset every five years, enforces Israeli law in Area C of Judea and Samaria via the Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration. The law serves as a means of applying Israeli law in the area, without the extension of fully sovereignty.

While previous governments passed the extension of the law without issue, the Opposition has vowed to vote against the law, seeking to deal the Bennett government an embarrassing blow.

In a bid to further divide the Bennett government, the Religious Zionist Party is now promoting a bill to apply Israeli sovereignty over Area C, removing the need for the Judea and Samaria Law.

Religious Zionist Party officials told Israel National News they expect the bill to pit right-of-center lawmakers in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation against left-wing ministers.

“We listened patiently to Bennett and Liberman’s talk of the government’s right-wing bona fides, and how this government is doing more than any previous government did to promote nationalist values and to benefit Judea and Samaria.”

“We also see how this coalition is struggling, due to internal division, to pass the Judea and Samaria Law.”

“We will raise the Judea and Samaria Sovereignty Law in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday, and we would be perfectly happy for the government to take credit for passing it. We have no doubt that Liberman, Yamina, and the New Hope will vote in favor of it, and thus remove the need for the Judea and Samaria Law.”